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Planning commission recommends conditional approval for 197‑unit Sunset Orchards after residents press drainage and traffic concerns
Summary
The commission recommended conditional preliminary approval for Sunset Orchards, a proposal for 197 townhouses and six twin homes, and granted three engineering waivers. Residents pressed the applicant about runoff, basin design and traffic; staff said stormwater will meet Act 7 release-rate requirements and several technical items remain for final plan.
A majority of the Upper Macungie Township Planning Commission voted to recommend conditional preliminary approval of Sunset Orchards (docket 2336), a proposal to consolidate two lots and build 197 townhouse units and six semi‑detached twin homes, after a lengthy presentation and a public comment period that focused on stormwater, traffic and neighborhood buffers.
Staff summarized the plan and three modification requests, then outlined recommended relief from township standards for lot geometry, the width of the grass strip between curb and sidewalk and sanitary‑sewer easement grading. Planning staff told the commission those three waivers were justified by site geometry and topography and recommended approval.
The applicant team said it would address outstanding review comments. "I'm an attorney with Overmire Hero on behalf of the applicant," said Sean Duffy during the presentation, and engineer Jason Engelhard summarized the development history: "the current plan ... is 197 town houses and six twins," noting the design has been refined through repeated submissions.
Technical discussion centered on stormwater. The applicant described a shallow infiltration basin that drains to a detention basin, then discharges toward an adjacent stream, and cited Act 7 stormwater controls. Commission and residents pressed for detail on release rates and downstream capacity; the applicant said portions of the site are being designed to meet a 30 percent release rate for certain storms and a 50 percent target for larger events. Residents said they remain concerned about combined flows from Route 78 and local drainage paths.
Several residents asked how long water could remain in lined spray‑irrigated basins; a project representative said portions of lined basins used for spray irrigation could retain water for up to seven days after a storm, consistent with the NPDES permit conditions discussed at the meeting.
Neighbors also raised traffic and parking questions, including whether Sunset Boulevard will be offered for dedication and whether school buses will use the street; applicant representatives said the developer intends to offer Sunset Boulevard for dedication and that school‑district access is determined by the district. The plan shows 443 parking spaces overall and sets one driveway space per unit as the baseline required by ordinance.
After public comment and follow-up questions, a commissioner moved to recommend granting the three waivers identified in HRG's December 12, 2025 review letter; that voice vote passed. The commission then voted by voice to recommend conditional preliminary approval of docket 2336, conditioned on resolution of the items noted in staff and engineering review letters. The chair reminded the public that the planning commission's action is a recommendation and that the final decision will rest with the township supervisors.
Next steps: the applicant must resolve outstanding engineering comments, finalize NPDES/Conservation District submissions where applicable, and return to the township for final plan review and the supervisors' decision.
